Continuous Education : Journal of Science and Research Volume 7 Issue 1 March 2026 Journal Homepage:
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php/josr Thai EFL Students' Responses to Teacher's Scaffolding Using Bamboozle in English Speaking Activities: A Case Study Nanda Putri Maulana1.
Adib Jasni Kharisma2 1,2 Universitas Muhammadiyah Sumatera Utara.
Indonesia Corresponding Author:
nandaputrimaulana985@gmail.
ABSTRACT
ARTICLE INFO
Article history:
Received 20 February 2026 Revised 07 March 2026 Accepted 16 March 2026 Key Word How to cite This study explores Thai EFL students' responses to teacher scaffolding implemented through Bamboozle-based speaking Speaking remains one of the most challenging skills for EFL learners in Thailand due to limited exposure to English, high speaking anxiety, and teacher-centered instructional practices.
To address these issues, teachers increasingly integrate gamified platforms with instructional scaffolding to support students' oral participation.
This research employed a mixed-method case study design involving 22 Grade 8 students at a junior high school in Satun.
Thailand.
Data were collected through classroom observations, semi-structured interviews, questionnaires, and documentation.
The findings reveal that teacher scaffolding during Bamboozle activities elicited positive linguistic, cognitive, and affective student responses.
Linguistically, students demonstrated increased verbal participation, modified output, and self-repair.
Cognitively, scaffolding helped students understand task demands and generate ideas more effectively.
Affectively, students showed increased confidence, reduced anxiety, and greater willingness to communicate in English.
The integration of instructional scaffolding with gamified speaking activities created a supportive learning environment that encouraged active participation and meaningful oral interaction.
These findings provide practical implications for EFL teachers, suggesting that combining scaffolding strategies with game-based platforms such as Bamboozle can be an effective pedagogical approach to enhance students' speaking engagement and performance in secondary school contexts.
Bamboozle.
EFL Speaking.
Gamification.
Student Responses.
Teacher Scaffolding https://pusdikra-publishing.
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php/josr This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.
0 International License INTRODUCTION Speaking is a core skill in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learning and serves as a primary indicator of learners' communicative competence.
Speaking is a communication process that conveys messages from individuals to other individuals verbally or nonverbally, and it is used and spoken throughout the world (Yuliyanto et al.
, 2.
The ability to speak enables Continuous Education : Journal of Science and Research Volume 7 Issue 1 March 2026 Page 116-130 learners to express ideas, negotiate meaning, and participate in social and academic interactions.
However, speaking is often regarded as the most challenging language skill for EFL learners because it requires the simultaneous control of vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, and fluency in real-time As a result, many EFL learners struggle to communicate orally despite years of formal English instruction (Raja & Nagasubramani, 2.
In speaking activities, the effectiveness of instructional support becomes even more critical because learners are required to produce language spontaneously while managing linguistic, cognitive, and affective demands Without adequate support.
EFL students may experience cognitive overload and heightened anxiety, which can hinder oral participation and language development.
Therefore, the integration of teacher scaffolding within interactive learning environments is essential to ensure that speaking activities remain accessible and meaningful for learners.
When scaffolding is strategically embedded in communicative and gamified tasks, such as Bamboozle-based speaking activities, it not only supports learners' language production but also fosters engagement, confidence, and sustained interaction.
This highlights the need to further investigate how teacher scaffolding functions in technology-mediated speaking contexts and how students respond to such instructional practices in EFL classrooms (Nandhini, 2.
Student responses in the context of learning are understood as actions or utterances that arise as answers, reactions, or responses from students to stimuli provided by teachers in classroom interactions.
Student responses are behavioral activities that occur as a result of stimuli in the form of questions or instructions from the teacher, so that the quality and form of student responses are greatly influenced by how the teacher presents learning stimuli.
Thus, student responses not only reflect their understanding of the material, but also indicate their cognitive and affective involvement in the teaching and learning Response in learning is important because it has relationship with learning outcomes or learning objectives to be obtained by students.
As stated by (Febrianti et al.
, n.
) that there is relationship between student response and the task received.
We can tell how students are doing in class by looking at things like how they look when they're in class, what they say or how excited they are about things, how hard they find the work, and how well they listen to the teacher (Sumilia.
Puspita, & Elfrida, 2.
(Ahmad, 2.
In Thailand, despite English being a compulsory subject, many EFL students experience persistent difficulties in speaking, particularly in terms of fluency, vocabulary use, and confidence.
Limited exposure to English outside the classroom and teacher-centered instructional practices often restrict Continuous Education : Journal of Science and Research Volume 7 Issue 1 March 2026 Page 116-130 opportunities for meaningful oral interaction, resulting in speaking anxiety and low participation.
The problems faced by students in improving their speaking skills are feeling nervous and embarrassed when speaking in class, lack of confidence in answering, nervousness during presentations and lack of appropriate vocabulary and correct grammar.
To address these challenges, pedagogical support that facilitates learners' engagement in speaking tasks is One instructional approach that has been widely discussed is teacher Teacher scaffolding is personalized for students with diverse prior knowledge and abilities and is adjusted and revised for each student throughout the task duration.
In other words, student needs are considered when a teacher helps them through scaffolding strategies.
Teacher scaffolding facilitates the provision of academically rigorous instructions to language learners (Puyan & Rana, 2.
(Chairinkam Jittiporn, 2.
Scaffolding refers to temporary and adaptive support that enables learners to perform beyond their current level of competence.
Scaffolding in English language learning is a technique where teachers provide temporary support and guidance to help students understand and master language concepts.
Its functions include helping students grasp difficult concepts, boosting confidence, developing language skills .
peaking, writing, reading, listenin.
, identifying student needs, and promoting learner Through scaffolding, teachers enable students to become more independent and proficient in English.
Alongside scaffolding, gamification has gained increasing attention as a pedagogical approach to enhance learner motivation and engagement.
One technology that can be used to improve students' speaking skills is Bamboozle.
When we use modern technology in education.
The transfer of knowledge becomes very easy and convenient, as well as effective (Nagasubramani, 2.
Bamboozle is a game-based learning platform that allows teachers to create interactive team-based quizzes, encouraging spontaneous speaking and Bamboozle can make broader vocabulary studies more relevant by connecting different aspects of language learning through game inclusion.
Educational games can effectively support English language acquisition.
Specifically.
Bamboozle provides a platform that helps students improve their speaking skills by expanding their vocabulary and understanding grammar through interactive gameplay (Rahayu et al.
, 2.
Therefore.
Bamboozle can be seen as a useful teaching tool for educators to promote overall language development, with a special focus on enhancing speaking abilities.
In another study, (Wardani & Kiptiyah, 2.
found that using Bamboozle media in a game-based learning approach with artificial intelligence increased student Continuous Education : Journal of Science and Research Volume 7 Issue 1 March 2026 Page 116-130 engagement and learning outcomes.
In addition to increasing student engagement, the implementation of Baamboozle also provides benefits for Through this application, teachers can create various questions, such as multiple choice, short answer, or fill-in-the-blank, according to the competencies to be measured (Nurmawati, 2.
However, previous studies on Bamboozle and gamified learning have mainly focused on learning outcomes, motivation, and classroom engagement, with limited attention to how teacher scaffolding is enacted within game-based speaking activities.
Even fewer studies have examined students' linguistic, cognitive, and affective responses to such scaffolding.
In the Thai EFL context, most research highlights students' speaking difficulties and anxiety rather than how instructional scaffolding can support their participation in gamified speaking tasks.
Therefore, there remains a lack of studies that specifically investigate students' responses to teacher scaffolding in Bamboozle-mediated speaking activities in Thai secondary school classrooms.
This study seeks to address this gap by exploring teacher scaffolding strategies and analyzing Thai EFL students' linguistic, cognitive, and affective responses during Bamboozle-based speaking activities.
Employing a mixedmethod case study approach, this research integrates qualitative and quantitative data to provide a comprehensive understanding of classroom interaction and contributes empirical evidence to the literature on scaffolding and gamification in EFL speaking instruction.
Therefore, this study aims to investigate how Thai EFL students respond to the teacher's scaffolding when integrated with Bamboozle-based English speaking activities and to explore how the teacher implements scaffolding strategies through this game-based platform.
Specifically, the study focuses on examining students' linguistic, cognitive, and affective responses toward the scaffolding provided during speaking tasks, as well as identifying the types and processes of scaffolding enacted by the teacher while using Bamboozle in the classroom context.
Through this investigation, the study is expected to provide a comprehensive understanding of the role of scaffolding in supporting students' participation and engagement in gamified speaking activities.
RESEARCH METHODE
This study employed a mixed-method case study design to explore Thai EFL studentsAo responses to teacher scaffolding in Bamboozle-based speaking The research was conducted at Darul U-Loom School in Satun.
Thailand.
The participants consisted of 22 Grade 8 students who were enrolled in an English speaking class.
The participants were selected using purposive Continuous Education : Journal of Science and Research Volume 7 Issue 1 March 2026 Page 116-130 sampling because they were directly involved in classroom activities that integrated teacher scaffolding and the Bamboozle platform.
Data were collected through several techniques, including classroom observation, semi-structured interviews, documentation, and a Likert-scale Classroom observation was conducted to examine how the teacher implemented scaffolding strategies during Bamboozle-based speaking activities and how students responded during the learning process.
Semistructured interviews were conducted with several students to explore their perceptions and experiences regarding the scaffolding provided by the teacher.
Documentation such as lesson plans, classroom photographs, and learning materials was also analyzed to support the findings obtained from observations and interviews.
In addition, a Likert-scale questionnaire was distributed to measure studentsAo responses quantitatively.
The collected data were analyzed using both qualitative and quantitative Qualitative data obtained from observations, interviews, and documentation were analyzed using thematic analysis, which involved coding, categorizing, and interpreting themes related to studentsAo linguistic, cognitive, and affective responses.
Meanwhile, quantitative data from the questionnaire were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as mean, minimum score, maximum score, and standard deviation to describe the overall tendency of studentsAo responses toward teacher scaffolding in Bamboozle-based speaking RESULT AND DISCUSSION This section presents the findings of the research on Thai EFL students' responses to teacher scaffolding in Bamboozle-based English speaking The results were obtained through a mixed-method approach by integrating qualitative findings from classroom observations, interviews, and documentation, as well as quantitative data from questionnaires.
The findings are categorized into three aspects of student responses: linguistic, cognitive, and affective responses.
Qualitative Outcomes: Student Responses to Teacher Scaffolding Qualitative data was obtained through classroom observations, semi-structured interviews, and documentation.
The results of the analysis showed that the scaffolding given by the teacher during the speaking activity using Bamboozle gave rise to various student responses to linguistic, cognitive, and affective Continuous Education : Journal of Science and Research Volume 7 Issue 1 March 2026 Page 116-130 Linguistic Response Based on classroom observation, teacher scaffolding had a positive impact on studentsAo linguistic responses during speaking activities.
When the teacher provided scaffolding through modeling, prompting, and questioning, students demonstrated increased verbal participation.
At the beginning of the activity, some students were only able to respond using short words or simple phrases.
However, with the support of the teacher, students gradually began to produce longer and more meaningful responses.
Observation data showed that several students attempted to modify their responses after receiving feedback from the teacher.
This indicates the occurrence of modified output and self-repair during the speaking process.
The teacherAos corrective feedback and guiding questions encouraged students to improve their grammatical accuracy and vocabulary use.
Interview findings also supported these observations.
One student stated.
AuWhen the teacher gives examples first, it becomes easier for me to answer and speak Ay Another student mentioned that the teacherAos hints helped them recall vocabulary when they had difficulty expressing their ideas.
Documentation in the form of classroom recordings also indicated that students gradually increased their speaking participation during Bamboozle Students who initially gave short answers were later able to construct more complete sentences after receiving scaffolding from the teacher.
Cognitive Response StudentsAo cognitive responses were reflected in their improved understanding of task instructions and speaking activity procedures.
Observation results showed that teacher scaffolding, such as clear explanations and guiding questions, helped students understand the objectives and rules of the Bamboozle game.
When students experienced confusion, the teacher provided hints and examples that helped them organize their ideas before responding.
This guidance reduced studentsAo cognitive burden and allowed them to focus on producing spoken language.
Interview results also indicated that students perceived the teacherAos scaffolding as helpful for understanding the speaking tasks.
One student explained.
AuSometimes I donAot know what to say, but when the teacher gives clues.
I can think of an answer.
Ay Documentation from lesson plans and classroom materials further confirmed that the teacher consistently provided structured guidance during the speaking activities, which supported studentsAo cognitive engagement in the learning process.
Continuous Education : Journal of Science and Research Volume 7 Issue 1 March 2026 Page 116-130 Affective Response Affective responses emerged as an important aspect of studentsAo reactions toward teacher scaffolding during Bamboozle-based speaking activities.
Observation data showed that students appeared more enthusiastic and relaxed compared to conventional classroom activities.
Many students actively volunteered to participate in the game and showed greater willingness to speak in English.
Teacher encouragement and positive feedback played a significant role in reducing studentsAo anxiety when speaking English.
Students appeared more confident when answering questions or interacting with their peers during the Interview results also revealed that students felt more comfortable and motivated to speak English during the game.
One student stated.
AuI feel less nervous because the teacher helps us and the game makes learning more fun.
Ay Documentation in the form of classroom photographs and activity recordings also showed studentsAo active participation and positive emotional engagement during the Bamboozle-based speaking activities.
Quantitative Results Quantitative data were obtained from a Likert-scale questionnaire distributed to 22 Grade Vi students to measure their responses toward teacher scaffolding in Bamboozle-based speaking activities.
The questionnaire consisted of several statements related to linguistic, cognitive, and affective aspects of studentsAo responses during the learning process.
To analyze the quantitative data, descriptive statistical analysis was conducted, including minimum score, maximum score, mean score, and standard deviation.
The results of the descriptive statistical analysis are presented in Table 1.
Table 1.
Descriptive Statistics Std.
Minimum Maximum Red Deviation Query Valid N .
Based on Table 1, the minimum score obtained from the questionnaire was 67, while the maximum score was 94.
The mean score of studentsAo responses 23, with a standard deviation of 6.
These results indicate that, in Continuous Education : Journal of Science and Research Volume 7 Issue 1 March 2026 Page 116-130 general, students showed positive responses toward teacher scaffolding implemented in Bamboozle-based speaking activities.
To strengthen the analysis, the mean score was interpreted using response The obtained mean score .
falls into the high response category, which indicates that most students perceived the teacherAos scaffolding strategies as helpful in supporting their participation and engagement in speaking activities.
In addition, the relatively moderate standard deviation indicates that studentsAo responses were relatively consistent and did not vary significantly among participants.
This suggests that the majority of students shared similar perceptions regarding the effectiveness of teacher scaffolding in supporting their English speaking learning through Bamboozle activities.
These quantitative findings also support the qualitative results obtained from classroom observations, interviews, and documentation.
The combination of qualitative and quantitative data provides stronger evidence that teacher scaffolding integrated with Bamboozle-based speaking activities can positively influence studentsAo linguistic, cognitive, and affective responses in the EFL Summary of Research Results Overall, the results of the study from qualitative and quantitative data showed that teacher scaffolding applied through Bamboozle-based speaking activities elicits positive responses from EFL Thai students on linguistic, cognitive, and affective aspects.
Qualitatively, students showed increased verbal participation, better understanding of tasks, and increased confidence in speaking English.
Quantitatively, the results of the questionnaire confirmed that students generally responded positively to the scaffolding strategies used by teachers in game-based speaking activities.
Discussion This section aims to interpret and deepen the results of research on EFL Thailand's students' response to teacher scaffolding in Bamboozle-based English speaking activities.
The discussion was carried out by associating research findings with relevant theories and previous research results, so as to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the role of teacher scaffolding in the context of gamification-based speaking learning.
Students' Linguistic Responses to Teacher Scaffolding The results of the study showed that the teacher's scaffolding played an important role in improving students' linguistic responses during speaking activities using Bamboozle.
The provision of scaffolding in the form of modeling, prompting, questioning, and corrective feedback helps students Continuous Education : Journal of Science and Research Volume 7 Issue 1 March 2026 Page 116-130 improve verbal participation and the quality of oral language production.
These findings corroborate the view of Van de Pol et al.
who stated that scaffolding in teacher-student interaction serves as a temporary support that allows students to produce language beyond their independent abilities.
In speaking activities, students initially tend to give short and limited However, after the teacher gives examples of speech and guiding questions, students begin to be able to expand their responses into more complete sentences.
This phenomenon indicates the occurrence of modified output, where students adjust and improve their speech based on the feedback given by the teacher.
This is in line with the findings of Al-Zahrani and Mahgoub who concluded that scaffolding teachers can improve the accuracy and fluency of EFL students through a process of directed interaction.
In addition, the use of Bamboozle as a learning medium creates an authentic and challenging communicative context.
The elements of competition and cooperation in the game encourage students to speak spontaneously.
However, without a scaffolding teacher, game-based activities could potentially focus solely on the fun aspect.
Therefore, the results of this study confirm that teachers' linguistic scaffolding is a key factor in ensuring that Bamboozle's activities not only increase participation, but also support the development of students' linguistic speaking skills.
Students' Cognitive Responses to Teacher Scaffolding From a cognitive aspect, the results of the study show that teacher scaffolding helps students understand instructions, task demands, and Bamboozle-based speaking activity flows.
Providing clear explanations, examples, and guiding questions allows students to understand what to do and how to respond in speaking activities.
These findings are in line with the opinion of (Puyan & Rana, 2.
who emphasize that adaptive scaffolding can reduce students' cognitive load and help them process learning tasks more In the perspective of sociocultural theory, scaffolding serves as a bridge that connects students' actual abilities with their developmental potential within the proximal developmental zone (ZPD).
With the help of teachers, students are able to organize ideas, choose appropriate vocabulary, and compose verbal responses more systematically.
This shows that scaffolding not only helps students complete tasks, but also encourages the development of thinking and language skills simultaneously.
The use of Bamboozle also provides cognitive stimulation through the demands of a fast, problem-based response.
In this situation, the role of the teacher as a scaffolding giver is very important to keep students focused on the Continuous Education : Journal of Science and Research Volume 7 Issue 1 March 2026 Page 116-130 language learning goals.
Without adequate cognitive support, students can potentially get confused or just guess the answer.
Therefore, the findings of this study show that the integration of cognitive scaffolding and game-based learning media can create a challenging and directed learning environment.
Students' Affective Responses to Teacher Scaffolding The affective aspect is one of the main findings in this study.
The results of the study showed that teacher scaffolding contributes significantly to creating a positive learning atmosphere, reducing speech anxiety, and increasing student These findings are relevant to the context of EFL Thailand, where students often experience anxiety and fear of making mistakes when speaking English (Phisutthangkoon, n.
Affective scaffolding that teachers provide, such as giving praise, encouragement, and an attitude that does not judge students' mistakes, helps to create a safe learning environment.
(Chairinkam Jittiporn, 2.
emphasized that affective support from teachers is very important in encouraging students to dare to take risks in the use of foreign languages.
In this study, students appeared to be more courageous in speaking up and showed higher enthusiasm when teachers consistently provided emotional support during activities.
In addition, gamification through Bamboozle provides a fun and nonmonotonous learning experience.
Aparicio et al state that gamification can increase student motivation and engagement in learning.
The findings of this study show that the positive effect of gamification becomes more optimal when combined with teacher scaffolding, because students not only feel happy, but also feel supported and directed in the process of learning to speak.
The Relationship between Linguistic.
Cognitive, and Affective Responses The findings of this study also show a link between students' linguistic, cognitive, and affective responses.
Affective support from teachers helps to lower anxiety, which in turn allows students to process information cognitively better and produce more optimal linguistic responses.
In other words, the three aspects of student responses interact with each other and cannot be separated in the learning process of speaking.
Teacher scaffolding acts as a connecting element that balances students' linguistic, cognitive, and emotional demands.
When students feel comfortable and confident, they are better able to understand the task and actively participate in speaking activities.
These findings support the view that effective language learning requires a holistic approach that pays attention to aspects of language, cognition, and affection simultaneously.
Continuous Education : Journal of Science and Research Volume 7 Issue 1 March 2026 Page 116-130 Integration of Qualitative and Quantitative Findings In accordance with the convergent mixed-method design used in this study, the qualitative and quantitative results complement each other.
Observation and interview data provide an in-depth picture of students' experiences and responses during Bamboozle-based speaking activities, while questionnaire data show numerical positive response trends.
The relatively high average score of the questionnaire indicates that most students have a positive perception of the teacher's scaffolding.
The consistency between qualitative and quantitative findings reinforces the validity of the results of this study and shows that teacher scaffolding integrated with gamebased learning media is effective in supporting English speaking learning in EFL classes at the junior high school level.
CONCLUSION
Based on the findings of this mixed-method research design, it can be concluded that the application of teacher scaffolding integrated with Bamboozle-based speaking activities resulted in positive responses from EFL Thai students on linguistic, cognitive, and affective aspects.
From the linguistic aspect, teacher scaffolding in the form of modeling, prompting, questioning, and corrective feedback contributes to increasing verbal participation, the quality of language production, and the emergence of modified output and self-repair.
Students are gradually able to produce longer and more meaningful speech after receiving structured guidance during speaking activities.
This shows that scaffolding effectively helps students perform beyond their initial speaking abilities.
From a cognitive perspective, scaffolding helps students understand task instructions, organize ideas, and provide appropriate responses during Bamboozle activities.
Clear explanations, guiding questions, and giving examples reduce students' confusion and cognitive burden, so they can focus more on the production of spoken language.
The integration of scaffolding in a game-based platform ensures that learning objectives remain the main focus, even if the activities take place in an interactive and fun atmosphere.
From an affective dimension, the combination of supportive scaffolding and game-based learning creates a positive classroom atmosphere.
Students show increased confidence, decreased speaking anxiety, and greater willingness to participate.
Affective support such as encouragement and non-judgmental feedback plays an important role in helping students feel safe and motivated to speak in English.
Continuous Education : Journal of Science and Research Volume 7 Issue 1 March 2026 Page 116-130 The quantitative findings also confirm the qualitative results.
The relatively high average score of the questionnaire .
showed that students generally had a positive perception of the teacher's scaffolding in Bamboozlebased speaking activities.
The consistency of student responses reinforces the validity of the conclusion that the integration of scaffolding and gamification is an effective pedagogical strategy in learning to speak in EFL classrooms.
Overall, this study shows that strategically implemented teacher scaffolding in a game-based learning environment such as Bamboozle not only increases students' speaking participation, but also supports their cognitive processes and emotional readiness in English language learning.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The authors would like to express their sincere gratitude to the Faculty of Teacher Training and Education.
University of Muhammadiyah North Sumatra, for the academic guidance and support provided throughout the completion of this research.
Special appreciation is extended to the supervisor for valuable feedback, constructive suggestions, and continuous encouragement during the research process.
The authors also gratefully acknowledge the principal.
English teacher, and Grade 8 students of Darul U-Loom School.
Satun.
Thailand, for their cooperation, participation, and willingness to contribute to this study.
Their support and collaboration made this research possible.
REFERENCES